Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 113 Part 3.djvu/137

PUBLIC LAW 106-129—DEC. 6, 1999 113 STAT. 1655 "(6) health care costs, productivity, organization, and market forces; "(7) health promotion and disease prevention, including clinical preventive services; "(8) heedth statistics, surveys, database development, and epidemiology; and " (9) medicaUiability. " (b) HEALTH SERVICES TRAINING GRANTS.— "(1) IN GENERAL.—The Director may provide training grants in the field of health services research related to activities authorized under subsection (a), to include pre- and post-doctoral fellowships and training programs, young investigator awards, and other programs and activities as appropriate. In carrying out this subsection, the Director shall make use of funds made available under section 487(d)(3) as well as other appropriated funds. "(2) REQUIREMENTS.— In developing priorities for the allocation of training funds under this subsection, the Director shall take into consideration shortages in the number of trained researchers who are addressing health care issues for the priority populations identified in section 901(c)(1)(B) and in addition, shall take into consideration indications of long-term commitment, amongst applicgmts for training funds, to addressing health care needs of the priority populations. " (c) MULTIDISCIPLINARY CENTERS.— The Director may provide financial assistance to assist in meeting the costs of planning and establishing new centers, and operating existing and new centers, for multidisciplinary health services research, demonstration projects, evaluations, training, and policy analysis with respect to the matters referred to in subsection (a). " (d) RELATION TO CERTAIN AUTHORITIES REGARDING SOCIAL SECURITY. — Activities authorized in this section shall be appropriately coordinated with experiments, demonstration projects, and other related activities authorized by the Social Security Act and the Social Security Amendments of 1967. Activities under subsection (a)(2) of this section that affect the programs under titles XVIII, XIX and XXI of the Social Security Act shall be carried out consistent with section 1142 of such Act. "(e) DISCLAIMER.—The Agency shall not mandate national standards of clinical practice or quality health care standards. Recommendations resulting from projects funded and published by the Agency shall include a corresponding disclaimer. "(f) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.— Nothing in this section shall be construed to imply that the Agency's role is to mandate a national standard or specific approach to quality measurement and reporting. In research and quality improvement activities, the Agency shall consider a wide range of choices, providers, health care delivery systems, and individual preferences. "(g) ANNUAL REPORT.— Beginning with fiscal year 2003, the Effective date. Director shall annually submit to the Congress a report regarding prevailing disparities in health care delivery as it relates to racial factors and socioeconomic factors in priority populations.